Systems and methods for notifying an occupant of a cause for a deviation in a vehicle

Abstract

Systems, and methods for notifying an occupant of a determined cause for a deviation in a highly automated vehicle are described herein. The vehicle can detect a plurality of objects located in an external environment of the vehicle. The vehicle can determine a deviation from a current path of travel. The vehicle can follow a modified path of travel based on the determined deviation. The vehicle can determine a cause for the deviation by generating a simulation of the vehicle traveling along the current path of travel. The simulation may not include a first detected object of the plurality of detected objects. The vehicle can determine, using the generated simulation, whether the first detected object was the cause for the determined deviation. Responsive to determining that the first detected object was the cause for the determined deviation, the vehicle can notify an occupant of the cause for the determined deviation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for notifying an occupant of a determined cause for a deviation in a vehicle, the system comprising:
 one or more sensors; 
 one or more processors; and 
 memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing: 
 an environment evaluation module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to detect a plurality of objects located in an external environment of the vehicle based, at least in part, on data received from the one or more sensors; 
 an automated control module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine a deviation from a current path of travel, and to control one or more components of the vehicle to cause the vehicle to follow a modified path of travel based on the deviation; 
 a cause determination module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to, subsequent to the vehicle following the modified path of travel, determine which of the plurality of objects caused the deviation; and 
 a cause notification module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to present a notification to the occupant indicating which of the plurality of objects was determined to be the cause for the deviation. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions included on the cause determination module cause the one or more processors to determine which of the plurality of objects caused the deviation by causing the one or more processors to
 generate a simulation of the vehicle traveling along the current path of travel, the simulation not including a first detected object of the plurality of objects, and 
 
       determine, via the generated simulation, whether the first object was the cause for the determined deviation. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the cause determination module further includes instructions that cause the one or more processors to:
 calculate a cost associated with the generated simulation, and wherein 
 the one or more processors determine whether the first object was the cause for the determined deviation based on the calculated cost associated with the generated simulation. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions included on the cause determination module cause the one or more processors to determine whether the first object was the cause for the determined deviation by causing the one or more processors to determine that the calculated cost associated with the generated simulation is less than a cost for the vehicle traveling along the current path of travel including each of the plurality of objects. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the simulation is a first simulation, and wherein the cause determination module further includes instructions that cause the one or more processors to determine which of the plurality of objects caused the deviation by causing the one or more processors to
 generate, responsive to the first object not being the cause for the determined deviation, a second simulation of the vehicle traveling along the current path of travel, the second simulation not including a second detected object of the plurality of objects. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores:
 an object feature determination module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine one or more features for, at least, the object determined to be the cause for the deviation. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions included on the object feature determination module cause the one or more processors to determine one or more features for the object responsive to the one or more processors determining that the object was the cause for the determined deviation. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions stored on the cause notification module cause the one or more processors to present the notification to the occupant indicating the cause for the deviation, the notification indicating which of the plurality of objects caused the deviation by identifying the determined one or more features for the object causing the deviation to the occupant. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the notification is one of a visual notification on an interactive display, and an audible notification on an audio system. 
     
     
       10. A system for notifying an occupant of a determined cause for a deviation in a vehicle, the system comprising:
 one or more sensors; 
 one or more processors; and 
 memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing: 
 an environment evaluation module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to detect a plurality of objects located in an external environment of the vehicle based, at least in part, on data received from the one or more sensors; 
 an automated control module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine a deviation from a current path of travel, and to control one or more components of the vehicle to cause the vehicle to follow a modified path of travel based on the deviation; 
 a cause determination module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to, subsequent to the vehicle following the modified path of travel, determine which of the plurality of objects caused the deviation by causing the one or more processors to
 generate first and second simulations of the vehicle traveling along the current path of travel, the first simulation not including a first detected object of the plurality of objects and the second simulation not including a second detected object of the plurality of objects, 
 determine, via the first and second generated simulations, whether the first object or the second object was the cause for the determined deviation; and 
 
 a cause notification module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to present a notification to the occupant indicating the cause for the determined deviation. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions included on the cause determination module cause the one or more processors to determine which of the plurality of objects caused the deviation by causing the one or more processors to
 calculate a cost for the vehicle traveling along the current path of travel in each of the first and second simulations, and wherein 
 the one or more processors determine whether the first object or the second object was the cause for the determined deviation based on the cost associated with the first and second simulations. 
 
     
     
       12. A method of notifying an occupant of a determined cause for a deviation in a vehicle having one or more sensors, the method comprising:
 detecting a plurality of objects located in an external environment of the vehicle based, at least in part, on data received from the one or more sensors; 
 determining a deviation from a current path of travel; 
 controlling one or more components of the vehicle to cause the vehicle to follow a modified path of travel based on the determined deviation; 
 determining, subsequent to the vehicle following the modified path of travel, which of the plurality of objects caused the deviation; and 
 notifying the occupant which of the plurality of objects was determined to be the cause for the deviation. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining which of the plurality of objects caused the deviation comprises:
 generating a simulation corresponding to the external environment of the vehicle, the simulation selectively including some of the plurality of objects; and 
 determining, based on the simulation, which of the plurality of objects caused the determined deviation. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 calculating a cost associated with the simulation, wherein 
 determining which of the plurality of objects caused the deviation is based on the calculated cost associated with the simulation. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the simulation does not include a first detected object, and wherein determining which of the plurality of objects caused the deviation includes determining whether the first detected object caused the deviation based on the calculated cost associated with the simulation. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein determining the deviation from the current path of travel comprises determining the deviation from the current path of travel based on a cost calculated for the current path including each of the plurality of objects, and wherein determining whether the first detected object was the cause for the deviation is based on a comparison of the cost for the current path including each of the plurality of objects and the cost associated with the simulation. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the simulation is a first simulation, and the method further comprises:
 responsive to determining that the first detected object was not the cause for the deviation, generating a second simulation of the vehicle traveling along the current path of travel, the second simulation not including a second detected object. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising
 calculating a cost for the second simulation; and 
 determining whether the second detected object was the cause for the determined deviation based on a comparison of the calculated cost for the vehicle traveling along the current path of travel including each of the plurality of objects and the calculated cost for the second simulation, the second detected object being the cause responsive to the calculated cost associated with the second simulation being less than the calculated cost for the vehicle traveling along the current path of travel including each of the plurality of objects. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the second simulation includes the first detected object, and wherein determining which of the plurality of objects caused the deviation includes determining whether the first detected object caused the deviation based on the calculated cost associated with the second simulation.